Vessel Types Directory

Cargo vessels (AIS type 70–79) form the backbone of global maritime trade, moving over 80% of the world’s goods by volume. This broad category encompasses container ships carrying standardized TEU containers on fixed liner routes, bulk carriers transporting unpackaged commodities such as grain, coal, iron ore, and bauxite, general cargo ships handling breakbulk and project freight, reefer vessels with refrigerated holds for perishable goods, ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) ships designed for wheeled cargo including cars and trucks, and heavy-lift ships carrying oversized industrial equipment. Fleet sizes range from small coastal freighters of a few thousand deadweight tonnes to Ultra Large Container Vessels exceeding 24,000 TEU and 400 meters in length. Major cargo routes connect East Asia with Europe via Suez, transpacific lanes to North America, and South American commodity export corridors. MarineRadar tracks cargo vessels worldwide with real-time AIS positions, course, speed, and destination data.

Tankers (AIS type 80–89) are purpose-built ships that transport liquid cargo in bulk within specialized tank compartments. The category includes crude oil tankers classified by size—Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs, 200,000–320,000 DWT), Suezmax, Aframax, and Panamax tankers—as well as product tankers carrying refined petroleum fuels, chemical tankers with epoxy-coated or stainless steel cargo tanks for hazardous liquids, and LNG carriers using cryogenic containment systems to transport liquefied natural gas at −162°C. All modern tankers are double-hulled as mandated by MARPOL Annex I regulations to prevent oil spills. Tanker operations are governed by the International Safety Management Code and vetted through programs like SIRE and CDI. Key tanker routes include the Persian Gulf to East Asia via the Strait of Hormuz, West Africa to Europe, and the U.S. Gulf Coast export corridor. MarineRadar provides live tracking of tanker movements across all major shipping lanes and oil export terminals.

Passenger vessels (AIS type 60–69) carry people as their primary function and are subject to the most stringent maritime safety regulations under SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea). This category includes ocean-going cruise ships accommodating thousands of passengers across multiple decks with extensive amenities, car ferries and fast ferries providing scheduled service on coastal and inter-island routes, ro-pax vessels combining passenger capacity with roll-on/roll-off vehicle decks for cars and freight, and expedition ships built for polar and remote-area cruising with ice-strengthened hulls. Passenger ships must carry life-saving equipment for every person on board, maintain comprehensive damage stability standards, and conduct regular emergency drills. The Polar Code imposes additional requirements for vessels operating in Arctic and Antarctic waters. The largest cruise ships can carry over 6,000 passengers and 2,000 crew. MarineRadar tracks passenger vessels in real time, showing live positions, routes, and port schedules.

Fishing vessels (AIS type 30) are boats and ships used to catch fish, shellfish, and other marine organisms for commercial and industrial purposes. They range from small inshore trawlers operating in coastal waters to large factory trawlers that catch, process, freeze, and package fish entirely at sea during voyages lasting weeks or months. Common types include stern trawlers, purse seiners encircling schools of pelagic fish like tuna and sardine, longliners deploying thousands of baited hooks, gillnetters using vertical curtain-like nets, and dredgers harvesting shellfish from the seabed. AIS tracking of fishing vessels plays a critical role in maritime governance—enabling flag states and regional fisheries management organizations to monitor fleet activity, enforce exclusive economic zone boundaries, detect dark fishing, and combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, estimated at up to 26 million tonnes annually. MarineRadar shows fishing vessel positions worldwide with real-time AIS data.

Tugs and pilot vessels (AIS type 31–32, 50–52) provide essential harbor, waterway, and offshore services that enable the safe movement of larger ships. Harbor tugboats assist vessels with berthing and unberthing using tow lines, push knees, or Voith Schneider cycloidal propulsion for exceptional maneuverability. A typical harbor tug develops 50–80 tonnes of bollard pull. Ocean-going tugs tow barges, disabled ships, and offshore structures across open water over long distances. Escort tugs accompany tankers through environmentally sensitive waterways, ready to arrest the motion of a disabled ship. Pilot boats carry licensed maritime pilots out to incoming vessels, who then board via pilot ladder to guide ships through port approaches and congested channels where local knowledge of currents, shoals, and traffic is critical. This category also includes search-and-rescue craft and anchor-handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels serving offshore oil and gas platforms. MarineRadar tracks tug and pilot vessel movements in ports and waterways globally.

High-speed craft (AIS type 40–49) are vessels engineered to travel at speeds significantly above conventional displacement-hull ships, typically exceeding 30 knots (55 km/h). Types include hydrofoils that lift above the water on underwater wings to eliminate hull drag, hovercraft riding on a pressurized air cushion over water or land, high-speed catamarans and trimarans using slender hulls to reduce wave-making resistance, and wing-in-ground (WIG) effect craft that fly just above the surface using aerodynamic ground effect. These vessels are regulated under the IMO’s International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft (HSC Code), which imposes enhanced requirements for structural strength, stability in damaged conditions, fire safety, navigation equipment, and crew training beyond standard SOLAS provisions. High-speed craft are commonly deployed on inter-island passenger routes in Scandinavia and Southeast Asia, military patrol missions, offshore crew transfer, and emergency medical evacuation where rapid transit is critical. MarineRadar tracks high-speed craft with live AIS positions and speed data.

Yachts (AIS type 36–37) are recreational and luxury watercraft ranging from sailing yachts and coastal cruisers to motor superyachts exceeding 100 meters in length. Under SOLAS Chapter V, all vessels over 300 GT on international voyages—and in practice most yachts over 24 meters—must carry AIS transponders, making them visible in vessel tracking systems alongside commercial traffic. Superyachts represent some of the most technically sophisticated private vessels afloat, often featuring advanced stabilization systems, dynamic positioning, helicopter pads, and submarine garages. Many large yachts are commercially registered and available for charter, in which case they must comply with the Large Yacht Code (LY3/REG) covering construction standards, safety equipment, manning levels, and crew certification. The superyacht sector concentrates in Mediterranean waters from May to October and Caribbean waters from November to April, with major new-build and refit yards in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and Turkey. MarineRadar tracks yachts worldwide with real-time AIS positions.

Military and special-purpose vessels (AIS type 33–35, 55–59) encompass a diverse range of government and specialized commercial ships. Military vessels include naval warships (frigates, destroyers, corvettes, aircraft carriers, submarines), coast guard cutters, and patrol boats tasked with maritime security, territorial defense, and law enforcement. Special-purpose vessels include oceanographic and hydrographic research ships conducting seabed mapping and scientific surveys, cable-laying ships installing subsea telecommunications and power cables, trailing suction hopper dredgers maintaining navigable channel depths, diving support vessels equipped with saturation diving systems for deep-sea construction, icebreakers clearing polar shipping lanes for year-round navigation, and hospital ships providing medical facilities during humanitarian operations. Many military vessels transmit limited or encrypted AIS data, use military AIS (WAIS) on dedicated frequencies, or disable transponders during operations for security—a practice known as “going dark” that creates characteristic gaps in tracking data. MarineRadar shows military and special vessel positions where AIS data is publicly available.